Recent Blog Entries

A variable section for each recipe, nothing too intricate needed as mainly guidelines.

• Adding details, real times, rating, extra notes, methods, links,

No real need for the full recipe method, just the highlights are enough to be getting started and nudges as the day progresses. Extra baking notes for the actual bake sitting with timings, for those final stages.

Real-time duration is better than decimal in my humble opinion. Having each “phase” timed helps with the bake. It’s not “dough” time. It’s a clue as to how much time will or has elapsed. Completed as the bake progresses or as a guesstimate for how it will be, even added after the event for the next time.

A complete rating system for a crumb, crust, taste, texture and colour, was abandoned for a simple 1–5-star rating. Links to original recipes and methods got included in case there is a favourite place to glean everything from was also added.

Nope, the picture isn’t different from the one in Part 3 or Part 3a, It’s the same with the method, time, links and ratings neatly slotted in. Active filters are used to “hide” Part 3a percentages and items not in recipe.

Bakers Percent Re-Imagined Part 6 to follow

Still doing some test baking of the Sweet Lupin product kindly supplied by David from The Lupin Co here in Western Australia,

 During the 1960’s a very clever man named Dr John Gladstone from University of Western Australia (UWA), developed one of the first commercial lupin varieties especially for the Australian environment.

This breakthrough changed the agricultural landscape in Western Australia by allowing infertile sandy soils to be farmed in a brand new sustainable way. Lupins act as a natural fertiliser, introducing nitrogen into the soil, therefore reducing the need for chemical fertilisers.

This is why the lupins are one of Australia’s most important crops. Western Australia now grows 85% of the entire world’s entire sweet lupin supply, making them a truly iconic Aussie legume!

i have been playing around with ratios of the LUPIN Flour and LUPIN Flakes in the dough  initially i was using  a higher percentage of flour to flakes  as some work had already been done for David by a baker in South Australia and so i emulated that work to get a feel for the LUPIN inclusion into the dough as well as to taste the end product. Since then i have been trying quite a few combinations each time getting pleasing results . i enlisted a couple of bread taste testers, and also asked fellow Aussie Gavin in Victoria if he would like to come and play  and also enlisted Debra Wink to have a go too.

With LUPIN being 40% protein ( not in the form of gluten) as it is gluten free, 3 times more protein than Quinoa, 37% Dietary Fibre,  3 times more than oats ,  3 times more potassium than bananas and 3 times more iron than Kale . 4% Carbs and Fructose free, 

Why wouldn't you want to include it in your diet!

i have used the flakes and flour at 12.5% each inclusion into the dough and managed to get a good looking and tasting loaf i have found that scalding the Lupin with all the water at boiling point  which after a quick stir and set aside to cool resembles cous cous . i weigh up the rest of my ingredients at this time and keep watching the temperature coming down and add the lupin when it reaches the required temp for the mix to achieve its Desired Dough Temp at the completion of the mix. The water component is 80%.  

 i mix pretty much to the same degree as i do for a normal dough  and have been doing a short bulk fermentation of 1 hour   as determined by the amount of yeast . i also add an Australian Bread improver @ 0.5%  which is the recommended amount for a timed dough. The dough has no trouble doubling in size  and handles quite well after degassing and handing up  it is given a 10 minute bench rest and then its shaped to the desired shape. The dough does feel a bit different in that its not quite as stretchy or extensible and i have been aware that it does want to unravel at the seam if proofing in a Bannetton  not a huge problem as the dough gets rolled out onto the flap if its become undone. the alternative is to proof seam down  either in a bannetton or on a couch.

The dough holds it shape well and doubles  i have been cornflour washing and applying seeds and scoring at 3/4 proof , and then by the time i've placed my steaming towel into the bottom of the oven  and got it ready its time to pop it in the oven The bake times are on par with a normal dough  and does have a different baking aroma still very pleasant but different.

My last few bakes i've actually gone big on the L flakes and small on the L flour  being 20% and 5% which is the other way round from my starting point. and really pleased with the results

One of my testers has said that she feels far more satisfied  from eating this bread and another said she would have trouble going back to her everyday bread..

 i will add more and the pictures to this post in the next 24 hours as i need to be somewhere else right now.

regards Derek

I'm really enjoying making this style of pizza.  It is quite filling and one pizza makes two dinners for us.  This time I didn't have my usual all purpose flour so used bread flour.  I also used whole wheat flour this time instead of either spelt or kamut just to try something slightly different.  I don't find that I can taste much difference between the pizzas made with the different flours since the toppings really are the most prominent flavour of the pizza. 

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For pizza on an 17” x 11” pan

Overnight levain

Duration: 12 hours (overnight) at warm room temperature: 74°–76°F (23°–24°C).

In the morning mix the dough when the levain is at peak.  To the bowl of the stand mixer add water, salt, sugar and diastatic malt, stir to dissolve.  Then add the levain, stir to dissolve.  Finally add the flours.  Mix on low speed until there is no dry flour then increase to medium and mix until the dough is moderately developed.  Then slowly drizzle in the olive oil stopping until each addition is incorporated.  Finally mix until good gluten development.

Remove the dough from the bowl and do a bench letterfold.  Transfer the bowl to an oiled bowl for bulk fermentation.  

Do three sets of coil folds at 30 mins intervals and then allow the dough to rest until it reaches 40-50% rise.

Optional cold retard.  Place the dough in the fridge until the next early afternoon.  This is done primarily for convenience.

Allow the dough to continue to ferment at a warm temperature 80°F or so until it reaches 100% rise then shape.

Shaping 

Oil the pan well and brush the bottom and the sides with the olive oil.

Thoroughly flour the top of the dough in the bowl, release it from the sides of the bowl using a bowl scraper then flip it onto the counter.  Flour the exposed dough well with flour and flour the counter around the sides of the dough well.  Using your bowl scraper push some of that flour under the edges of the dough.

Using your hands, get your fingers well under the dough and stretch it out into a rectangle.  Next using your fingers gently press them into the dough to elongate the dough.  Flip the dough over and repeat aiming to get the dough to about 75% of the area of the pan.  

Transfer the dough to the oiled pan by folding it in half and unfolding it once in the pan.  Gently stretch the dough out to touch the edges of the pan.  If it resists stretching, wait 15 mins and try again after the gluten has relaxed.

Aim to bake the pizza once the total rise is 120-125%.  About 1 hour prior to baking pre-heat the oven to 500°F placing your backing steel on the lowest rack of the oven.

Bake the pizza.

Drizzle olive oil onto the dough.  Then using a large spoon, spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over the dough from edge to edge.  Slide the baking pan into the oven on top of the baking surface. Decrease the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and sprinkle on the grated cheese and any other toppings. Lightly drizzle some olive oil over the entire pizza. Slide the sheet pan back into the oven on the baking surface and bake for 20 minutes more. The cheese should be melted and the bottom crust well colored.

Crushed Tomato Sauce

Makes 4 cups

1 can San marzano tomatoes - squeeze tomato water out of the tomatoes then using a hand mash up the tomato meat.  Keep the canned juice and tomato water mix to drink.

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried basil or 2 tbsp minced fresh basil

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano

1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder

2 tbsp red wine vinegar or freshly squeeze lemon juice or a combination

1 tsp salt to taste

Stir together, can store up to 1 wk.

For less greasy pizza, just place your pepperoni in a single layer on some paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds. This starts to cook the pepperoni, and you'll see some of that fat start to melt out and be absorbed by the paper towel.  I did 30 secs twice.

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My index of bakes.

We had friends over for brunch this past weekend and decided that a savory strata was going to be served.  So of course, I needed to make a challah for this, but didn’t have enough time for a sourdough challah due many other things happening.  So here is my recipe for a IDY fast all in less than a day delicious challah with some whole wheat.

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Procedures

1. In the morning, in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the IDY then water, then mix in the 4 eggs, salt, honey and oil then mix until completely combined.
2. Mix in all the flour until it forms a shaggy mass.
3. Knead the dough on the bench or in a stand mixer until it is smooth and there is moderate gluten development. The dough should be quite firm.  Mix until gluten is well developed.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover it tightly. Ferment for about 2 hours. It should approximately double in size. 
5. To make one loaf, divide the dough into two equal portions, and divide each portion into the number of pieces needed for the type of braiding you plan to do, so divide each by 3 to make 1 six strand braided loaf.
6. Form each piece into a ball and allow them to rest, covered, for 10-20 minutes to relax the gluten.
7. Form each piece into a strand about 14” long. (I like Glezer's technique for this. On an un-floured board, flatten each piece with the palm of your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece to about ¼ inch thickness. Then roll up each piece into a tight tube. Using the palms of your hands, lengthen each piece by rolling each tube back and forth on the bench with light pressure. Start with your hands together in the middle of the tube and, as you roll it, move your hands gradually outward. Taper the ends of the tube by rotating your wrists slightly so that the thumb side of your hand is slightly elevated, as you near the ends of the tube.).  You can consider rolling each rope of dough in two different types of seeds at this point for a decorative effect, or only a few of the strands.
8. Braid the loaves.  Braiding somewhat loosely, not too tight. 
9. Place loaf on parchment paper on a sheet pan. Brush with egg wash. Cover well with plastic wrap (brush with oil so it doesn’t stick to the dough) or place the pans in a food grade plastic bag, and proof at room temperature until the loaves have tripled or quadrupled in volume. About 2 hours.
10. If it's quadrupled and when poked the dough only springs back a little, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.  Gauge the dough again. Stick a finger lightly in the dough. If it makes an indentation that doesn't spring back, the dough is ready to be baked. If not, wait a bit more.
11. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF with the rack in the lower third of the oven about 30 mins before final proof is complete.
12. Brush each loaf with an egg lightly beaten with a pinch of salt.  I do this twice.
13. Optionally, sprinkle the loaves with sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds.
14. Bake until done – 30-40 minutes rotating half way.  If baking as one large loaf may take a bit longer, bake until sounds hollow or reaches 190ºF in the middle.
15. Cool completely before slicing.

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My index of bakes